Joseph Nicholson , Metadata Librarian

1. Keeping Up Connections: Managing Change in Technical Services Through Collaboration at Atkins Library Joseph Nicholson, Metadata Librarian Shoko Tokoro, Electronic and Continuing Resources Librarian J. Murrey Atkins Library University of North Carolina at Charlotte ALCTS Technical Services Workflow Efficiency Interest Group ALA Annual, Las Vegas June 30, 2014

2. Outline • UNC Charlotte Atkins Library • Catalysts for Reorganization • Before & After Reorganization • Most Pressing Question Posed By Reorganization • Data Migration Team: Collaborative Approaches • Applying the Data Migration Team Model to Other Library Workflows • Keys to Collaborative Approaches at Atkins: Cataloging Group • Cataloging Group Products • New Collaborative Endeavors at Atkins • Keys to Success of Collaborative Approaches • Drawbacks of Collaborative Approaches • Collaborative Approach Cases 1 & 2 • Future of Cross-Departmental Collaboration in Atkins

3. UNC Charlotte Atkins Library • Urban research institution • UNC Charlotte - 24,000 students (21 doctoral, 65 masters, and 45 graduate certificate programs) • Middle-sized academic library • Member of ASERL (the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries) • Library staff: 33 librarians & 54 staff (# of librarians +10%; # of staff -23% since 2008) • 3 library locations: Main Library, Architecture Library & Center City (no physical materials)

4. Catalysts for Reorganization • Library consultants’ visit (2010) • Adapt YBP shelf-ready books service • Redirect cataloging expertise to unique and hidden collections • Catalog to the level needed, etc. • Space renovations • New library system (July 2013)

5. Before & After Reorganization Collection Development & Technical Services ( 5 librarians, 23 library staff) - Cataloging, Acquisitions & Serials, Gov. Documents, Post-Cataloging Quality Control

6. Most Pressing Question Posted By Reorganization How do we ensure that old and new technical services functions operate effectively in changed landscape with redrawn boundaries and scattered personnel? • Old hierarchies dismantled, old ways of getting things done no longer operative • Need for new modus operandi—and a new modus vivendi as well • Collaboration the key? ETD Workflow E-Resources Management Copy Cataloging Labeling Authority Work/NACO Serials Check-in

7. Data Migration: Collaborative Approaches • Made up of 2 librarians and 4 staff from different departments • Members roughly equal in responsibility, though each contributed different strengths and talents to the work • Improved cross-departmental communication • Reconstructed functions and responsibilities • Less identification on part of members with “departments,” more with library as a whole • Blurring of lines between “professional” and “paraprofessional” responsibilities • Realization: We can actually work together across departments to get things done—and we MUST

8. Problems resulting from reorganization: • Inconsistent metadata practices; lack of shared standards • Lack of coordination between people doing the same type of work • Some confusion about roles • Skills strengthening needed for some staff • Loss of expertise, documentation Applying the Data Migration Team Model to Other Library Workflows No overall unit head to spearhead effort to solve these problems … ERGO = No choice but to collaborate across new organizational boundaries!

9. Keys to Collaborative Approaches at Atkins: Cataloging Group Group Composition Group Activities Democratic model of decision-making Forging solutions to problems in different units Bringing technical services activities in different units into better alignment Recording decisions in documentation and minutes and communicating them to staff • Four permanent members from three different units • Three professional librarians, one paraprofessional • Differing levels of authority within organization

10. Cataloging Group Products • New policies and documentation • Formatting call numbers instructions • Electronic theses and dissertations guidelines • Matching record guidelines • Acceptable copy policy • Serials holdings manual • Training sessions • Serials holdings • RDA training • Constant data • Pressure brought to bear on other parts of the organization to bring about needed change • New call number tool

11. New Collaborative Endeavors at Atkins Collaborative Effort Departments Involved Collection Development, Technical Services, Special Collections Special Collections, Collection Development, Technical Services Collection Development, Digital Initiatives, Information Commons Members from nearly all departments Collection Development, Special Collections All departments • Electronic Resources • ETD • Ebooks • Ongoing migration issues • NACO • Consulting on cataloging and metadata creation in different departments

12. Keys to Success of Collaborative Approaches • Careful coordination and communication with participants as well as with department heads and supervisors • Documentation, documentation, documentation • Diplomacyand tact • Agility , flexibility, readiness for the new • Ability to adjust to new types of working relationships

13. Drawbacks of Collaborative Approaches • Making decisions and changing practices can be complicated and takes time • Is everybody on the same page? • Misunderstandings can cause tensions between staff in different departments • Responsibility vs. authority dilemma can cause confusion and inconsistency in workflows

14. Collaborative Approach Case 1: E-Textbooks E-textbook (course adaption titles) Project http://library.uncc.edu/etextbooks • Involved many departments in Library and UNCC Bookstore and beyond (publishers, consortium, etc.) Ordering process - Modified monographic ordering that is usually processed by Technical Services, but Collection Development & Electronic Resources (CDER) orders e-textbooks to expedite the process • Created solid workflows defining responsibilities The more electronic resources are available, the more workflow must become versatile, requiring collaborative approach.

15. Collaborative Approach Case 2: NACO - Effort at Atkins Old problem: New ILS didn’t support local authority control; former authorities staff scattered to other units and other tasks • Recruited two staff and one librarian with previous experience in authority work from two departments • Negotiated details with supervisors, unit heads • Received training, secured commitment for monthly record contributions • Held group meetings to discuss progress, individual meetings to resolve problems • Received NACO membership early in probationary period New problem: Not supervising staff turns out to be an impediment to getting things done after all? • Now: NACO staff reduced to two

16. Future of Cross-Departmental Collaboration in Atkins • Library initiatives increasingly span boundaries of separate departments, so collaboration will become more and more essential • Seeds of “culture of collaboration” have been planted in organization • Old department-centered ways of working obsolete: future at Atkins will be about cooperation

17. Collaboration at Atkins: Users’ Needs Paramount • Serving our users has remained stable focus during upheavals of reorganization, shift to new system Users’ needs can be met just as well through collaborative efforts as through traditional hierarchical approaches.

18. References Image Sources Slide 4 Andrew Baker. “Contrast between people moving up arrow to brighter weather and people moving down to stormy weather.” Photograph, n.d.CobrisImages, http://www.corbisimages.com/stock-photo/rights-managed/42-48514152/contrast-between-people-moving-up-arrow-to?popup=1 (accessed June 26, 2014). Slide 7 Winfried Wisniewski. “Flock of geese in flight.” Photograph, n.d.CobrisImages, http://www.corbisimages.com/stock-photo/rights-managed/42-56973979/snow-geese-and-sandhill-cranes-take-to?popup=1 (accessed June 26, 2014). Slide 8 Russavia. “Casemate museum, Kornwederzand, Afsluitdijk.” Photograph. 2010. Wikimedia Commons, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Barbed_wire#mediaviewer/File:Casemate_museum_Kornwerderzand,_Afsluitdijk_%289788319005%29.jpg (accessed June 24, 2014). Slide 10 Vassil. “Corned’Abondance statue Louis SV Reims.” Photograph. 2007. Wikimedia Commons, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Cornucopia#mediaviewer/File:Corne_d%27Abondance_Statue_Louis_XV_Reims_270608_3.jpg (accessedJune 24, 2014).  Slide 12 Yaroslavtsev. “2nd Watch-Making Factory Slava.” Photograph. 1980. Wikimedia Commons, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RIAN_archive_865510_2nd_Watch-Making_Factory_Slava.jpg (accessed June 24, 2014). Slide 16 “Български:Хасково в бъдещето, българскапощенскакартичкаотначалотона 20 век.” Scanned postcard. ca. 1900. Wikimedia Commons, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Haskovo_Futurism.jpg (accessed June 24, 2014). Slide 17 Alpsdake. “Fujisan from Yamanakako.” Photograph. 2004. Wikimedia Commons, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mt._Fuji#mediaviewer/File:01_Fujisan_from_Yamanakako_2004-2-7.jpg (accessed June 24, 2014) 

19. Thank You! Joseph Nicholson Metadata Librarian jnicho56@uncc.edu Shoko Tokoro Electronic and Continuing Resources Librarian stokoro@uncc.edu J. Murrey Atkins Library University of North Carolina at Charlotte